Time Traveling: Changing Our Past Regrets

During our brief commute this morning, my son said he wished that we had a time capsule to go back to Friday. He wanted to have a weekend do-over instead of this present Monday morning. I replied, “yeah, sometimes I wish we could go back in time”. Of course, he wanted to know why and would he be born. I have a right not to share my many reasons why I would like to go back in time with him, so I only shared the parts about school. Have you ever wished that you could go back in time and change or fix things? I have to be honest, I would totally do so many things different. I would take back so many sins, believe in myself so much more, give more, and close so many doors that stayed open for way too long. I would’ve walked with Jesus more seriously and sooner because the blessed life is so much better than the stressed life. I would’ve had more children and realized that I will never be absolutely ready to be a mother.

Then I remembered that none of my regrets or shortcomings have caught God off guard. He is the maker and giver of our lives. He knew everything that I was going to do and how many times I would say awful things. He knew that I would feel this huge regret and one day have a strong desire to change that feeling I felt this morning about my past. The holy spirit, our comforter reminded me in my feelings that I was not only wasting my time regretting my bad life choices, but he bought this scripture to my memory, “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old”, Isaiah 43:18. God wants us to learn from our past mistakes, repent (change) and keep it moving. Living with regrets only cause us to feel physically sick and it is also directly not accepting the salvation and forgiveness that Jesus offered us on the cross. A good friend of mine once told me like this, “Carmen, who are you to think that you are so perfect that you can’t mess up?” Yep! She said it straight like that. Talk about a humble reality check that she gave me. I needed it, and I’m thankful for it. Whatever, past regrets or choices that you made or are living with, it is time to let it go. Give it all to Jesus, and look forward to your future. Learn and grow from those experiences, but do not let them make you feel less worthy.